Three Things Go Missing
by mishy-mo
Summary: This is a story based on the SGC scene in 'Prometheus Unbound' where hammond makes a brief return to the SGC and makes some signinficant changes in the life of Jack O'Neill (no real plot spoilers) Chapter 5 - Dealing With It Step 1
1. The Hurricane

The Hurricane – Culprit

It was a hurricane.

Only a hurricane could sweep through your life and whisk away some of the most precious things in your life with such a lack of emotion, with such a cold calculating blow.

No matter how much you smile at it, respect it or even (to some degree) welcome it; it will proceed to take those things that are essential to you.

Sure, the cloud had been situated there for many a year, slowly gathering the momentum to move on. They had disappeared for a while, those deceptively fluffy clouds, but they returned.

It wasn't as if they weren't welcomed, hell no. Most people where happy to see them but there was one, just one that held a certain sense of foreboding and was not entirely sure of the return.

Brigadier General Jack O'Neill was not entirely comfortable with being over-shadowed by his superior on his own base, in his own office. Nope, it just didn't feel right.

Nestled in _HIS_ chair, it was a shock to Jack to see the sudden apparition of one hurricane George sitting in his office. And in a matter of seconds, the hurricane moved out of its subdued state and into its all powerful and calculating force, proceeding to commandeer his chair, Daniel and Walter for his own.

And there was nothing Jack could do.

With a speed no yet associated with the actions of a man, the hurricane disappeared through the door of his office (quite a feat) taking three elementary things from the new commander of the base, from his follower.

And despite this connection, despite knowing what the slightly younger man was going through he did it anyway.

Like I said cold and calculating.


	2. The Chair

The Chair – Missing

When first discussing whether Jack should become the men, the boss, the big guy and every other synonym for the commander of the SGC, the prospect of having a desk was mentioned (despite not know whether it was a pro of con at that exact point). But it was not just any desk; nope it would be his first desk (as far as Jack knew) and not only that it would be THE desk.

The warm hard wood polished to such a degree that you could see you face reflected on its surface. The red phone that sat proudly upon it. And the equally important engraved plaque that read 'Brig. Gen. J. O'Neill'.

But however luxurious the desk or lavish the accessories that sat upon it, nothing could compare with the chair that sat behind it. The thick soft brown leather warming you from the inside out with the slightest touch. The folds of cushioned leather enveloping every shape of your body, from the wide curves of your shoulders to the straights of your thighs.

Complete and utter bliss.

The very medicine needed for any headache that the SGC could create for its usually unwavering commander, especially when coupled with a fine single malt whiskey at the end of the day.

But no it was gone and there would be no end to his thumping headache.


	3. The Space Monkey

The Space Monkey – Missing

Like most people, even the most annoying and geeky and pain-in-the-ass kind of people can become tolerable after a couple of years; but then after a few more years you end up really liking them and becoming best friends.

This very occurrence was inevitable when you considered the things that SG-1 went through together, as thus it was wholly believable to find that there was a unique and unbreakable bond between them.

Daniel and Jack included.

The accident prone but immortal trouble magnet had turned out to be much like the brother that Jack O'Neill never had.

Daniel had been there since the beginning, and we're talking the very beginning, opening Jack up slowly, gradually making him human again after years of military training and the unthinkable losses he had sustained.

While being the commander of SG-1, Daniel had been the conscience of the group, the moral guide that lead them along the right path and kept them on moral ground, whither it was high or not.

But despite his position within the group, he was occasionally called upon to be a 'lawyer' of sorts for his team and friends quite often saving their lives, but regardless of the stereotype of a lawyer, the position did not corrupt him. It was things like these, things like the fact that he never (really) died, that made him handy to have around in a crisis.

But he was gone.

No longer would there be the safety net or guidance of one Daniel Jackson for the commander of the SGC.


	4. The Assistant

The Assistant – Missing

Sergeant Walter Harriman was the official gate controller at the SGC.

Not just your nine to five guy, he worked all the shifts under the sun (well the mountain really) that he could, taking only two days in 16 off.

The fact that he was the personal assistant of the most disorganised general ever known to the USAF or indeed any military group in the western world happened by default.

The previous runner of the project who is also known as Hurricane George, was by far more organised than the latest boss, O'Neill was just a different type of general.

One it seemed, who needed a personal assistant to fetch coffee, files, run errands and do what was officially called 'gofer work', as he had to 'go for' and search high and low through out the SGC for anything that 'the man' asked for.

Jack obviously could not do it himself, with the pressures and what not building on his already heavily laden shoulders.

No one anticipated this need, and therefore there was no official job as general's assistant made.

However there was a certain demand for someone to fill the position and make life for everyone around the SGC a little easier.

Sergeant Walter Harriman was just the man to fill that very position.

Despite his already very demanding schedule of gate activations lined up in any one day, it fell to him to help out the general as much as he could.

No one could quite say how but this hapless sergeant had a way with the general.

It seemed that when even the most prestigious could not banter their way into 'the man's' office Harriman managed to just slip in with but the mention of a few words. It also appeared that Walter had a calming effect on the general, as there were many rumours spreading that the all mighty judge who cast sentence on those who had 'bent' the rules a little, would mellow after a quick 'good afternoon, sir' and the removal of the files from his out box.

But now there was no buffer for the wrath of O'Neill to be spent upon.

The SGC was going to be in for a shock.


	5. Dealing With It, Step 1

Dealing with it, Step 1 – Seek Help

Everything was completely and utterly normal in everyway.

The air conditioning hummed it's gentle tune, the technicians went about their usual duties, checking a blinking light there, a change in a monitor here. Jack however was sitting quite uncomfortably. No matter how thick the carpet, he could feel the cold and solid tell tale signs of concrete.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls; Jack O'Neill was sitting on the floor in his office unable to see anything but the dark wood stain of the large desk before him.

'Walter.' He said hopelessly.

There was no reply, and there wouldn't be for another six months.

'Walter!' he wailed a little more pathetically.

The technicians below barley hearing a whisper of his words over the whir of machines. He leaned forward, feeling rather than hearing the soft thud, as vibrations shuddered through his skull after it's brief contact with the maple wood desk.

He needed help and he knew it.

Bones creaking, as he grunted and pulled and moved his body to stand.

With little emotion and a vacant expression he made his way down to the control room.

'SG …' his voice trailed off, SG-1 as he knew it was incomplete. 'Colonel Carter and Teal'c to my office.'

Everyone in the control room turned and stared at him, their so-called fearless leader. But Jack O'Neill the ever sarcastic, short-tempered showed none of his usual characteristics.

He was quiet and a mere shell of himself.

Teal'c and Sam were in her lab when they heard the announcement, each extremely troubled.


End file.
